Almost everyone I explain Affiliate Marketing to, ask what it takes to get started. Usually questions are something like, “How much do I need to get started?”, “How long till I start making money?”, and “How much do I need to learn?”

Although these are all valid questions, the answers to each one of them vary TREMENDOUSLY based on the individual. Some people will find success in there first $50, some after $1000's. What's really interesting is if you were to think about the time you were at school and you were choosing a career path, did you ask yourself these questions?

I know I, for one, didn't. I never asked myself how long will it take before I make money or how much do I need to learn, I just picked engineering and did it. Why? Because everyone around me said it's good so it created a false security where I thought success was guaranteed. I convinced myself I WILL achieve a career in Engineering and I did. Why i bring this up is because in many cases, the people around you shape your understanding of what you can achieve and what you can't.

Being an affiliate is lonely in the sense that no one really understands you and will be very discouraging towards it. You will have to block out this negativity and convince yourself that you CAN do it. What I'm going to do in this post is list the differences between two personalities. One is conditioned by society and thus is not an individual thinker, 'The Scaredy Cat/Dreamer' and the other is one that isn't scared to ride by himself if he has to, 'The Affiliate Marketer/Achiever/B.A.W.S'. You will need to become the latter to succeed in this industry.

A: The Scaredy Cat/Dreamer,

Is afraid to lose money.

Thinks that success rate is 100% and becomes scared if he/she sense failure.

Wants to see a return in their invest STRAIGHT away. If he/she puts $10 in something and sees it disappear, they get 'demotivated' and think they've been scammed. (LOL)

Want results the very next day.

Is intimidated by words such as 'website design', 'html', 'internet marketing'. Doesn't even bother YouTubing these to see what's involved before they give up. (FACT: Everything is hard until it becomes easy).

Doubts themselves and their capabilities in achieving affiliate success or success in general.

B: The Affiliate Marketer/Achiever/B.A.W.S

Realizes that there is no such thing as 'losing money' in an ultimate sense. Every dollar spent equates to more knowledge gained which brings you closer and closer to success.

Realizes that success rate is 5%-10%, hence tries LOTS of times until he/she succeeds.

Realizes things take time, assesses himself every now and then, not financially, but by how much he/she has grown in knowledge and how much they've learned.

Can see months and years into the future, locked on to a goal, they're slowly working towards.

Can fight off those de-motivational voices that tell him 'he/she can't do it' or 'it's too hard' and convinces himself not to be intimidated by something he doesn't YET know.

Has the mentality that if another human being has achieved something, whether it be billions of dollars like Donald Trump or a 45-0 Boxing Record like Mayweather, he/she tells themselves they can do it too.

Realizes the only thing separating themselves to those that have achieved what they want is knowledge and experience. Both that are attainable to anyone.

Can learn to discipline themselves to refrain from messing around for certain periods of the day.

Live in reality, understanding that things will be tough, but they'll get there and learn to deal with the volatile nature of this world.

Don't concentrate on their past experiences, failures or weaknesses. Rather, they focus on theirs strengths, eventually turning their weaknesses into a strength in time.

Has faith in their abilities.

Well, that's all I can think of for now. I'll tell you straight up that almost EVERYONE falls in 'Category A' before they condition themselves to be in 'Category B', even me. I doubted myself, was scared, cared what other people thought, didn't want to lose money, etc but it started to change in time as my mind realized where it wanted to be. Just keep trying little things, take little risks and let time do its thing. Just know that you'll get there and the ONLY thing needed in this business is PERSEVERANCE.